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review

Northwave Revolution 3

8
£188.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Comfortable, secure shoes that are very easy to adjust - these work very well for a great deal of typical riding
Comfortable
Secure
Easy to live with
Great dials
Could be lighter
Could be a tad stiffer too
Weight: 
646g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Northwave Revolution 3 shoes are an excellent choice for anyone who values comfort and ease of use just as much as performance. While they're neither the stiffest nor the lightest things you can get, they're perfectly fine in both areas – and not nearly as expensive as those that truly beat them. Basically, they're ideal for all but the most intense or competitive riders.

If you're looking for new shoes check out our best road cycling shoes buyer's guide, while our best cheap cycling shoes buyer's guide rounds up our top budget choices.

Lighter shoes will spin up more freely, and stiffer ones waste a fraction less power as flex, but neither thing is particularly conducive to overall comfort. The small amount of extra mass and flex here helps damp out the road buzz (and even the occasional spank across the sole) that can get tiring in racier shoes, and unless you're looking for every competitive advantage possible, that's a big real-world benefit.

2023 Northwave Revolution 3 - front.jpg

They're not exactly heavy per se, but you can quite easily find lighter. The Shimano RC7s, for instance, are the same price (well, a quid more) but 62g lighter at 584g, while the Giro Cadet Road shoes are 569g and £160.

2023 Northwave Revolution 3 - instep.jpg

That said, the Crono CR2 Road Shoes are also a similar price (they're now £175) and heavier than these 646g Northwaves at 676g. The Revolution 3s are in the right ballpark for weight, then, just nothing exceptional.

2023 Northwave Revolution 3 - sole heel.jpg

It's much the same story for the Morph Carbon 12 AAS sole, which Northwave says has a full-carbon insert in the pedal area 'with a stiffness index of 12.0'. I've ridden stiffer soles, but what tiny flex there is here is more detectable as a slight, comfortable softness under hard efforts than anything else. There's no sense of inefficiency to trouble anybody but a racer. Perhaps that's what 12.0 on the stiffness index means... it might as well say 'a lateral hardness of yellow' for all it really conveys, because there are as many stiffness indexes as manufacturers.

2023 Northwave Revolution 3 - sole front.jpg

I particularly like the twin SLW3 dials, which make getting these on, adjusting them and getting them off again very easy. You twist the dial to (rapidly) tighten, push the button to release by a single click, or pull it up to release them completely. It's worth noting that the dials on the Shimano and Crono opposition I mentioned don't offer incremental loosening at all.

2023 Northwave Revolution 3 - dials.jpg

The long tongue sits comfortably and lets the sides pull smoothly inwards – it's very easy to get the right tension immediately, without all the foot-waggling and readjusting I have to do in some shoes.

2023 Northwave Revolution 3 - rear.jpg

I also found the heel very secure, even with them set slightly loose, while the whole shoe stayed comfortable – no unwanted pressure points – when cranked down tight.

2023 Northwave Revolution 3 - heels.jpg

The cleats were easy to adjust across the full range I needed with room to spare (useful as I seem to like stopping every five minutes to tweak them just the wrong amount, over and over, for hours), despite the holes being fixed rather than on a sliding insert. They're compatible with Speedplay adaptors, too.

2023 Northwave Revolution 3 - heel detail.jpg

The venting seems pretty effective, both in the sole and across the upper; although it was autumn during the test, the temperatures were relatively high (often 15-17°C) and it was humid, too. Despite my winterish socks, my feet never got hot or sweaty in these.

2023 Northwave Revolution 3 - sole vent.jpg

Value

These are cheaper than the majority of road shoes we test. Of the 25 pairs on the first page of reviews (at the time of writing), for instance, only eight were cheaper than these – and two of those were mountain bike style, while another pair were Chelsea boots. £250-£350 is pretty common, and at £188.99 these are firmly mid-market. They're also exactly £1 cheaper than the Shimano RC7s mentioned above, by sheer coincidence...

If you do want to spend more, something like the £299.99 Giant Surge Pro shoes that Stu rated very highly will get you a considerable weight drop (they're 131g lighter at 515g) and impressively efficient stiffness, but you'll notice it on rough roads.

Overall

These are really good shoes – well designed, well made and comfortable. They're secure but easy to get in and out of, and adjustment is a breeze. They even look great – and if you don't like white, there are grey or black options instead.

Verdict

Comfortable, secure shoes that are very easy to adjust – these work very well for a great deal of typical riding

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Northwave Revolution 3

Size tested: 45

Tell us what the product is for

Northwave doesn't particularly say, but does list:

Season | Spring/Summer

Gender | Man

Category |Shoes

Fit | Pro

So obviously these are pro-fit man-shoes for spring and summer. Perfect for testing in autumn.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Northwave lists:

Morph Carbon 12 AAS sole with full-carbon insert in the pedal area with a stiffness index of 12.0.

The exclusive Anatomical Arch Support made of TPU, allows the shoe to perfectly shape on the bow arch, making it the ideal sole for any type of foot

Speedplay adapter compatible for the lowest stack height between foot and pedal

Double SLW3 dial, the only dial with step-by-step and full release in a single button that provides optimal pressure distribution

Integrated heel system ensures efficient heel retention

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight:
 
6/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10

A great fit and tension that's easily adjusted.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Like all white shoes, these show marks easily. They're fairly easy to wipe off, though.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well – they're comfortable, cool and secure.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfy and secure, very easy to get on and off, and just as easy to adjust.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing much. They could be lighter, but the weight is still reasonable.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

These are cheaper than the majority of road shoes we test. Of the 25 pairs on the first page of reviews, only eight were cheaper than these when I checked – and two of those were mountain bike style, while another pair were Chelsea boots. £250-£350 is pretty common, and at £188.99 these are firmly mid-market. They're also exactly £1 cheaper than the Shimano RC7s, by sheer coincidence...

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

These don't push any boundaries, but they do what many riders will want for the vast majority of their time on a bike – stay comfortable and secure without any seriously meaningful downsides. Okay, you can get lighter and stiffer shoes, but not for this sort of price – and unless you're racing or very competitive with other riders, it will rarely count anyway. For a lot of 'regular' road riding and training, these are very good.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 48  Height: 183cm  Weight: 78kg

I usually ride: Vitus Zenium SL VR Disc  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: general fitness riding, mtb,

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